The House of Representatives has advanced a bill seeking stricter penalties for hospitals and healthcare professionals who refuse or delay emergency medical treatment in Nigeria.
The proposed legislation, which passed second reading on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, seeks to amend the National Health Act, 2014, by introducing enforceable standards for emergency healthcare delivery.
The bill, sponsored by House spokesperson Akin Rotimi, proposes financial penalties, suspension of operating licences and possible closure of healthcare facilities that fail to comply with emergency treatment requirements.
It also provides for disciplinary and criminal sanctions against healthcare workers who deliberately refuse to attend to emergency patients or abandon them.
Hospitals to Face Mandatory Treatment Deadlines
Under the proposed amendment, hospitals would be required to begin assessing emergency patients within 15 minutes of their arrival.
Basic stabilisation, including appropriate preliminary treatment, must begin within 30 minutes, while life-saving interventions would be required immediately after a life-threatening condition is identified.
The legislation also proposes that patients requiring admission be assigned available hospital beds within two hours.
Where a hospital lacks the capacity to admit a patient, it would be required to begin stabilisation and arrange an appropriate referral.
The proposal further provides for compensation where a violation of emergency treatment requirements causes injury, disability or death.
However, it includes protections for healthcare workers acting in good faith who document resource limitations and follow established referral procedures.
Lawmakers Seek Stronger Patient Protection
Presenting the bill, Rotimi expressed concern about preventable deaths caused by delayed treatment, demands for upfront payment and poor coordination of referrals.
He argued that existing legal protections needed clearer operational requirements and consequences for non-compliance.
During the debate, lawmaker Chinedu Ogah called for stronger links between emergency treatment and health insurance coverage to prevent financial difficulties from delaying care.
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Health Services for further legislative consideration.
The proposed penalties are not yet law and would require completion of the legislative process before becoming enforceable.
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